Viannos Massacres: What Happened
Between 14 and 16 September 1943, German forces killed more than 500 civilians in the Viannos area of southeastern Crete, in one of the deadliest massacres of the occupation in Greece. The killings were carried out in reprisal for attacks by the Cretan resistance on German troops in the region. The order was given by General Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, the German commander in eastern Crete, known as the Butcher of Crete. German troops surrounded around twenty villages in the Viannos and Ierapetra areas. They executed men, and in some cases women and older people, and burned and destroyed the villages, while crops and livestock were seized. Many victims were shot in mass executions. Looting and destruction continued for days, and the survivors were forbidden to return or bury their dead for some time. After the war, Müller was tried by a Greek court for war crimes, including the Viannos massacres and other atrocities in Crete. He was sentenced to death and executed in Athens in 1947. Every September, the massacres are commemorated at a memorial in Viannos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the Viannos Massacres?
The Viannos Massacres were the killings of more than 500 civilians by German forces in southeastern Crete between 14 and 16 September 1943.
Why did the Viannos massacres happen?
The killings were a reprisal for attacks by the Cretan resistance on German troops in the region.
Who ordered the Viannos massacres?
The order was given by General Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, the German commander in eastern Crete, known as the Butcher of Crete.
What happened to General Müller?
After the war, Müller was tried by a Greek court for war crimes in Crete, sentenced to death and executed in Athens in 1947.
How are the Viannos massacres remembered?
Every September, the massacres are commemorated at a memorial in Viannos, honoring the victims from around twenty villages.
